The Beautiful Game in the Beautiful City

Club History

The History of Duluth FC

As is true for clubs across the globe, Duluth FC started as a joke. A dare that grew into a rumor and then a reality. However, Duluth FC has never been a typical club, striving to walk our own path since day one, with no sign of stopping.

At the heart of it all is Tim Sas, Duluth FC owner and local Orthodox Christian priest. Sas, a Romanian-American who lived in Vancouver before arriving in Minnesota for graduate school, found himself at the end of this joke. Despite doubts, he decided he had to turn the humorous into a reality.

Having lived a life guided by moral code, Sas wanted to make this a part of the club’s character. Above all he wanted a club ruled by decency. Foul language was, and still is, discouraged at matches and outbursts were to be kept to a minimum. No lashing out and understanding the line between banter and harassment would become essential factors in the Duluth FC identity.

In 2015, the club joined the Duluth Amateur Soccer League (DASL), a local amateur league with almost 50 years of history, but it didn’t take long for the Bluegreens to realize they could take the club even further.

The next challenge presented itself with the American Premier League (APL). The Bluegreens finished second that year, but the APL made a deal to merge with the NPSL, seeking to expand outside of regional limitations. With that, Duluth FC became a piece of the puzzle that is the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) Midwest Region, North Conference.

Approaching our second year in the NPSL, as North Conference champions mind you, Duluth FC continues to be an optimistic club built around decency and hard work. What started as a joke has now become a passion for the fans, players, and staff.

This may be the story so far, but we know that every fan that makes their way to the stands and every player who walks on to the pitch will help us make history. With love for the sport and compassion for your fellow fan in mind, we hope you join us in making new stories for this ever growing community.